________________________________________________________________________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________ ______________ ______________ ________________________________________________________________________ Jamie LePage (1953-2002) http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are 23 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do From: Paul Urbahns 2. Re: Val Valentin From: Gregg Luvoxx 3. Uncut - A Tribute to John Lennon From: Tim Looney 4. Re: Stones Documentary From: Richard Havers 5. Re: Christmas songs/Tom Rapp From: Stewart Mason 6. American bad dreams - and good music From: Country Paul 7. Re: Nooney Rickett From: Mikey 8. Ray Conniff From: Pale Sceptre 9. dick clark productions From: bryan 10. Re: American bad dreams - and good music From: Louise Posnick 11. Re: American bad dreams - and good music From: Phil Milstein 12. Re: Stones Documentary From: Peter Lerner 13. Re: Dick Clark Productions show replays From: Terrie Neilson 14. S C O R E , B A B Y ! Groovy Soundtracks From: Neb Rodgers 15. Big Night Out with Kim Weston From: David Bell 16. Re: CHRISTMAS SONGS / Shirley Ellis From: Tim 17. Re: American Dreams From: Mike Edwards 18. Re: Big Night Out with Kim Weston From: Richard Tearle 19. Re: the Honey Bees From: Mike C 20. Re: Christmas Songs / Shirley Ellis From: Mick Patrick 21. Who killed Teddy Bear/ Bunny Lake From: Bill Craig 22. Pussy Galore From: Stuffed Animal 23. Back to Sounds Inc. From: Ken Silverwood ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 23:00:02 EDT From: Paul Urbahns Subject: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do On a related note, Billy Spradlin writes: > The Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody" hit the Top 40 again after it > appeared in the movie "Ghost" in October 1990. > It's probably the first time in chart history two different versions of the > same song by the same artist hit the Top 40! >> Billboard really messed up on that one. The original Phil Spector cut was used in the movie. The Brothers rushed out an el cheapie immitation on their current label and that was what the stores sold to the unknowing. The radio stations continued playing the original Phil Spector version. But don't forget Neil Sedaka (Breaking Up Is Hard To Do) did two versions of that song both charted. And of course the Ventures with Walk Don't Run and Walk Don't Run 64 Paul Urbahns -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 17:03:47 -0700 From: Gregg Luvoxx Subject: Re: Val Valentin Jack Madani: > Gregg, funny you should mention Val Valentin just as > I was playing a Lou Christie recording to musica. That's a great album. My favorite track is Baby, We Got To Run Away ("we don't need candles on a cake. 'No...champagne'"). The Tammys are featured on a few tracks as well. This is why I posted about Valentin, the guy must have (if he's still alive) some incredible stories. GL -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 20:47:25 -0400 From: Tim Looney Subject: Uncut - A Tribute to John Lennon The November 2002 issue of Uncut includes a disc entitled: Instant Karma, A Tribute to John Lennon 18 tracks in all 1. Hammell On trial - John Lennon 2. Paul Weller - Instant Karma* 3. Ian McCulloch - Jealous Guy* 4. Kristin Hersh - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey 5. Marianne Faithfull - Working Class Hero 6. Teenage Fanclub - The Ballad Of John And Yoko 7. The Pretenders - Bless You* 8. The Breeders - Happiness Is A Warm Gun 9. Ike and Tina Turner - Come Together 10. Robert Wyatt - Love* 11. Generation X - Gimme Some Truth 12. Mercury Rev - Isolation 13. Icicle Works - Cold Turkey 14. Toots and the Maytals - Give Peace A Chance 15. Ash - Gimme Some Truth 16. John Holt - Happy XMAS (War is Over) 17. Spooky Tooth - I Am The Walrus 18. Roddy Frame - In My Life* * indicates exclusive to this compilation I thought some of you may be interested peace, tim -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 00:49:35 +0100 From: Richard Havers Subject: Re: Stones Documentary > > The music journalist (if my memory serves me who quoted the > > story) was unknown to me.......did anyone else catch it? Peter Lerner wrote: > It was Keith Altham, who used to write for the NME when > I was a lad! No big point but it wasn't Keith.....it was the other guy in the leather jacket wasn't it? -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 01:18:35 -0400 From: Stewart Mason Subject: Re: Christmas songs/Tom Rapp I would feel utterly remiss if I didn't mention a personal favorite, "Jingle F***ing Bells" by Blowfly, most readily available on the CD reissue of his first album, THE WEIRD WORLD OF BLOWFLY. (Blowfly was/is the alter ego of R&B producer Clarence Reid, who wrote and produced many R&B and early disco hits; he released several albums of truly filthy -- and hilarious -- R&B song parodies as Blowfly alongside his work under his real name.) Last night, my wife and I saw Tom Rapp (of '60s acid-folkies Pearls Before Swine) at Terrastock V here in Boston. He was in remarkable voice, doing a nice selection of songs from the PBS albums and a couple of things from the recent A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR comeback, and he and wife/muse Elizabeth both look remarkably fit. Stewart -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 09:56:13 -0400 From: Country Paul Subject: American bad dreams - and good music Dave Swanson, thank you for your excellent and appropriately scathing review of "American Dreams", which confirms my worst fears about it. Based on the show's promos, I opted to avoid it. I would expect most fictional TV, especially in the "family hour" on a major network, to warp history to suit its bias. I also assume that most members of this group, while we love the sounds and creativity of the music of past eras, are firmly living in the present and are at Spectropop for the sounds of the era rather than the nostalgia. As Dave said, "My problem with these kinds of shows are they cheapen everything. They make it all sanitized and lame." In my personal opinion, knowing and remembering real history is essential to understanding the present and future; wallowing in nostaligia is a recipe for resigning from life. Having said that, it would be nice if Dick Clark made available some of the artist film and video he has in his archives, including the more obscure artists. Now that would be worth watching. Louise Posnick's impassioned comments and their responses provoke me to add my opinion. First, a semantic note: it wasn't "the hippies", like "the Democrats" or "the Republicans"; "hippies" weren't an organized group or club. What "hippies" and other free-thinkers did was to help open the world view of America - a strenuous and difficult opening, marked by some mistakes but many victories, small and large. Some of the music we celebrate in this group, placed in historical context, was not just creative but actually courageous. One example: we laugh at the reactions preserved on film and video to "Beatle hair", but I know people who were beaten up by buzz -cut guys just for wearing it. Another example: Hendrix's first US tour wasn't just a series of concerts, but musical and political statements of the heretofore-thought-impossible. (I was privileged to be at one of them.) "Dropping out" in its purest intent wasn't resigning from "life" but from "mainstream America", and accepting the responsibility of creating a better lifestyle and living it. Those not alive then cannot imagine the social pressures to conform to the bland and conservative standards of the 50s (which, despite JFK's efforts, really prevailed until his assassination). However, given the current political climate in the US at this moment, you might want to prepare yourselves for a rebirth of it. Music notes: Dan Hughes - great Parkyakarkus story. Thank you. I knew of the Albert Brooks relationship, not the "Super Dave" connection. (One can't say this group isn't educational!) Michael Coxe: great garage-band rundown. How could I have forgotten Barrett Strong's "Money"? Another biggie, which I believe was actually recorded at a frat party: "Double Shot of My Baby's Love," a medley of the Swingin' Medallions' greatest hit! (Actually there were two versions - a "dirty" one, where "she loved me so hard and she loved me so right" and a "clean" one, where "loved" became "kissed." The ludicrousness stands without further comment.) In the Favorite Instrumentals Dept., may I also suggest: (1) "South Side of the Sky," from the under-recognized Bob Welch period of Fleetwood Mac. And does anyone know "whatever happened to" Mr. Welch? (2) The Fireballs, "Quite a Party" on Top Rank (1960), one of the all-time drum hooks combined with exceptional guitar work. Incidentally, this song also became a signature for the Hudson River Valley Boys, who used to play loads of parties, dances andclubs in their namesake area in the early 1960's. Does anyone know if they ever recorded, or anything about their personnel? Did they ever record? If memory serves, they had some of the better guitarists I've ever seen live, then or now. Stephen Braitman, thank you for the Carol Conners discography; it's the kind of thing I came to this group for. Besides "Angel My Angel" (one of my all-time faves), are there many more tracks with the Teddy Bears' sound? And Dan and Stephen. I don't have the Carol Connors "Dear One," but Larry Finnegan's "Dear One" and its flip side's writing credits (Old Town label, first pressing) are both "Finneran & Finneran"; assuming the more Irish and less familiar surname was "Americanized," I'd give Larry credit for his own song. Finally (for the moment), I second the big thank-you to the Spectropop Team for continuing to be who you are and letting us come in and "play in your yard"! Country Paul -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 10:57:21 -0400 From: Mikey Subject: Re: Nooney Rickett Stephen Braitman: > .....Penned by Rickett and Poole, > "Bye Bye Baby" is strongly reminiscent of the Beatles > and Wayne Fontana....... Can you play By Bye Baby to musica? PLEASE!! thanks!! Mikey -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 15:57:30 -0000 From: Pale Sceptre Subject: Ray Conniff Sad news... -- LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ray Conniff, the Grammy Award-winning composer and bandleader whose arrangements epitomized the Big Band sound, while spawning such albums as "S'Wonderful" and "Somewhere My Love", has died. He was 85. -- for the full story: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=495&ncid=689&e=3&u=/ap/20021014/ap_en_mu/obit_conniff -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 09:46:17 -0700 From: bryan Subject: dick clark productions On the topic of "American Dreams", Country Paul wrote: > it would be nice if Dick Clark made available some of the > artist film and video he has in his archives, including the > more obscure artists. This past July, I read that Dick Clark Productions, Inc. was aquired by an investment group for approximately $136 million. Dick Clark still serves as CEO and Chairman for the production company, who still produce and license TV programs to major TV and cable networks, in addition to licensing the rebroadcast rights to some of the programs they own, and licensing short clips to third parties, etc. I have to think that the recent purchase of Dick Clark's tape library had something to do with why the tapes from old Bandstand shows are more accessible now. In the past, I've looked into licensing clips owned by DCP but never did because it turned out to be very expensive...as I recall, 30 seconds of footage was somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000...so you can see why clip shows with limited budgets couldn't possibly afford it, and that may be why you haven't seen too many clips from Bandstand before...Perhaps the new owners will make some of the more obscure stuff available at bargain prices. Bryan -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 12:26:31 -0700 From: Louise Posnick Subject: Re: American bad dreams - and good music To Country Paul, I appreciate your ideas as they are thoughtful and respectful...I mentioned "hippies" as a response to, I think, Dave S..but although we were not organized, so to speak, many were in universities, changing things from the inside...(remember college takeovers by SNCC?) ( not all hippies dropped out of school, just out of conventional society) and SNCC, CORE and yes, even the NAACP, and other organizations had those persons in their ranks, marching, rallying, protesting...so "hippydom" had it own factions and some totally dropped out, living in culty places like Haight Ashberry (sp) and others in the Village, in NY...but they were everywhere, some playing a major part as organizers...the free thinking didn't stop many from being political and savvy in the world of "how to" make change in the volatile 60s climate...the Vietnam War was certainly important to the idealism of peace and non-violence....but there was also the faction of hippies that joined the bandwagon of the BLack Panthers'and Chicago Sevens' more ASSERTIVE way of dealing with racism in the USA...so, I agree, we were not an organization, but many of us did something about our political beliefs..we didn't all just hang out and smoke dope, hoping that this would alter history...that was the fantasy of middle-class America...I agree with you that we made our mark in history, through music, poetry, as well as through education and protest....In my opinion, nostalgia can be viewed as a way of studying history...if one is not passionate about the past..it becomes forgotten...might nostalgia, a passive response to history, not be the catalyst for some who dive into the pursuit of historical truth....the caring coming first in a thoughtful manner, becoming for some, a passionate pursuit? Just a thought..... Louise -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 13:07:16 +0000 From: Phil Milstein Subject: Re: American bad dreams - and good music Country Paul wrote: > I also assume that most members of this group, while we love > the sounds and creativity of the music of past eras, are firmly > living in the present and are at Spectropop for the sounds of > the era rather than the nostalgia. Bravo. > As Dave said, "My problem > with these kinds of shows are they cheapen everything. They make > it all sanitized and lame." In my personal opinion, knowing and > remembering real history is essential to understanding the > present and future; wallowing in nostaligia is a recipe for > resigning from life. Bravo again, except to add that it is possible to get a fairly close approximation of the "smell" of an era without having necessarily lived through it. It can take quite an accretion of historical tools to do so, but therein is half the fun. > Having said that, it would be nice if > Dick Clark made available some of the artist film and video > he has in his archives, including the more obscure artists. I believe he charges a fee to the artists themselves to get copies of their own performances from his shows. It's not an astronomical amount, yet may be outside the reach of those who have fallen on hard times. At least Clark has never denied that right from the start of his career he has been in it for the love of money and not music. > the music we celebrate in this group, placed in historical > context, was not just creative but actually courageous. One > example: we laugh at the reactions preserved on film and video > to "Beatle hair", but I know people who were beaten up by buzz > -cut guys just for wearing it. Another example: Hendrix's first > US tour wasn't just a series of concerts, but musical and > political statements of the heretofore-thought-impossible. > (I was privileged to be at one of them.) Bravo again, except to point out (as it seems pertinent here to take note of) the audiences at most of those shows treated Hendrix pretty coldly. Unless you mean his first U.S. tour as a headliner, rather than his ill-fated opening slot on the Monkees tour. Or maybe I've misunderstood the ex post facto accounts of that tour, as I was not so privileged as Country Paul! --Phil Milstein -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 18:08:22 +0100 From: Peter Lerner Subject: Re: Stones Documentary Previously: > The music journalist (if my memory serves me who quoted the > story) was unknown to me.......did anyone else catch it? My reply: > It was Keith Altham, who used to write for the NME when I was a lad! Richard Havers: > No big point but it wasn't Keith.....it was the other guy > in the leather jacket wasn't it? Well, the other one was Charles Shaar Murray; but I did think it was Keith. Peter -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 10:15:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Terrie Neilson Subject: Re: Dick Clark Productions show replays bryan wrote: > On the topic of "American Dreams", Country Paul wrote: > it would be nice if Dick Clark made available some > of the artist film and video he has in his archives, > including the more obscure artists. As with the person who reponded with the business changes of Dick Clark productions--that we may not be seeing much of the show because of licensing--the same could be said why The Smothers Brothers Comedy just outright came back to television. They were asked in interviews over the years about the show, and eventually the original series was shown on US cable, partly because someone thought some of the segments were outdated,...but also because of a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding the rights to play it again or license it. So much was involved with that variety program--especially the multitude of music acts--that getting everyone to go along with it (so that those of us who weren't around to have been there to see it could see what all the alleged fuss was all about) has been deemed pretty too big a chore to undertake. A shame in my eyes, because my curiosity about will never quite go satisfied. In my opinion also, I wouldn't mind being the judge of what would have been considered outdated with their content. Looking at our current situation here, right this minute, I don't think much if any of it will look out of place--because it feels like deja vu all over again with world conflicts. Terrie -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 10:59:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Neb Rodgers Subject: S C O R E , B A B Y ! Groovy Soundtracks S C O R E , B A B Y ! Your guide to groovy soundtracks of the 60's,70's... For fans of those swingin' soundtracks of the past! http://www.scorebaby.com/ -Neb -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 14:37:31 EDT From: David Bell Subject: Big Night Out with Kim Weston I've seen a videotape of a British show advertised for sale called" Big Night Out" from 15/6/1965 and am wondering whether to buy it. It has Kim Weston on it singing "Take Me In Your Arms" which is a "must have" as far as I am concerned. Also featured are the Beatles, Paul Revere and Lesley Gore. What I'd like to know is whether this is a unique Kim appearance or is it an insert from Hullaballoo or some such American programme? Any help gratefully received. David. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 18:46:15 -0000 From: Tim Subject: Re: CHRISTMAS SONGS / Shirley Ellis > For a Christmas disc with a difference - and, indeed, a message > - I'd suggest Shirley Ellis' "You Better Be Good, World", > released on Congress in 1965, a plea for peace in which the Name > Game gal warns, "Don't let no hydrogen bombs go boom-boom-boom, > scaring all the little reindeer in the sky". Cool record. Do you know where I can get a copy of this? It sounds *very* appealing, but it doesn't look like it's been issued on any of her CD collections. I just checked at PDQ Records this weekend, and they had nothing of the sort. - Tim -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 21:31:50 -0000 From: Mike Edwards Subject: Re: American Dreams It's pretty difficult for an old Freddy Cannon fan to understand some of this discussion! I cannot say it's not enjoyable, though. Mike Edwards -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 21:35:29 -0000 From: Richard Tearle Subject: Re: Big Night Out with Kim Weston David Bell wrote: > I've seen a videotape of a British show advertised for sale > called "Big Night Out" from 15/6/1965 and am wondering whether > to buy it. It has Kim Weston on it singing "Take Me In Your > Arms" which is a "must have" as far as I am concerned. Hi David Big Night Out was a variety show on British TV during the mid sixties - I may well have seen the edition you are talking about but I can't say definitely. It was compered, if memory serves me right, buy a British comedian called Tony Hancock who later comitted suicide. An ill-fated show (which wasn't rated by the critics) because I think it was during this series that another British comedian, Tommy Cooper, died (literally) on stage. However, the bits you are interested in would, as far as I know, in person performances, though whether 'live' or miming I couldn't tell you. Not much, but I hope it helps! Cheers Richard -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 23:51:52 -0000 From: Mike C Subject: Re: the Honey Bees Stuffed Animal: > ...it must also be said that Barbara Alston never really > got her "props". Can anyone confirm that Barbara is the > lead vocalist on The Honey Bees' single "Some Of Your Lovin'" > /"You Turn Me On, Boy"? Mick Patrick: > I just listened to each side of the 45 and, you know what Don, > I think you could well be right. Isn't Dee Dee of the Crystals > still claiming that it was the real Crystals who sang "He's A > Rebel", not Darlene Love & the Blossoms? What bollocks! I think > I'd rather ask another member of the group about the mysterious > Honey Bees' single. Incidentally (I use that word as a euphemism > for if anyone cares), on listening to Carole King's own version > of "Some Of Your Lovin'", it suddenly struck me that she and Gerry > Goffin probably wrote the song with the great Betty Everett in mind. Mick mick bo bick.., Do Special Agents buzz around reporting that The Honey Bees might not be The Honey Bees? What a stinger this one is. Hopefully a memo will go out with a report to follow. What a match of song to singer "Some Of Your Lovin'" and Betty 'Shoop Shoop' Everett might have been! A decent follow-up to "Can I Get To Know You" perhaps? I love Sloan copping that "It Might As Well Rain Until September" melodic lick from King in that one. While speaking about tricky voices or voices that trick, I ask the voice expert to please listen to that glorious 'hidden' track on the Rocky Fellers cd: "Look At Killer Joe Go" with me and tell me, tell me, tell me ring, that it isn't really Carole King. Another take, perhaps she sing? Mike C. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 20:37:37 +0100 From: Mick Patrick Subject: Re: Christmas Songs / Shirley Ellis Previously: > For a Christmas disc with a difference - and, indeed, a message > - I'd suggest Shirley Ellis' "You Better Be Good, World", > released on Congress in 1965, a plea for peace in which the Name > Game gal warns, "Don't let no hydrogen bombs go boom-boom-boom, > scaring all the little reindeer in the sky". Cool record. Tim: > Do you know where I can get a copy of this? It sounds *very* > appealing, but it doesn't look like it's been issued on any of > her CD collections. I just checked at PDQ Records this weekend, > and they had nothing of the sort. Hi, "You Better Be Good, World" by Shirley Ellis is available on her UK CD "The Complete Congress Recordings", released by Connoisseur Collection (VSOP CD 340) in 2001. See Harry Young's Shirley Ellis webpage for a full tracklist and much more: http://www.hostultra.com/~egshum/shirley.htm MICK PATRICK -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21 Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 02:25:47 -0000 From: Bill Craig Subject: Who killed Teddy Bear/ Bunny Lake The posts about the film Who Killed Teddy Bear brought to mind the reworking of their Just Out Of Reach that The Zombies did as promo for the flim Bunny Lake Is Missing. I think they changed the lyric to "come on time" meaning that you had to get to the theatre before the movie started or you wouldn't be let in.Does anyone remember this and or know if there's any where to hear it, or download it, or buy it? Bill Craig -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22 Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 23:45:08 +0000 From: Stuffed Animal Subject: Pussy Galore Mick: > Do you like Girl Groups? Do you like Bubblegum? Jackson 5-style > Motown? Kids, you ain't lived until you've heard "Stop, Look & > Listen", "The Handclapping Song" and "You've Come A Long Way > Baby" by JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS. Happily, thanks to the good > people at Rhino Handmade, these three great tracks are now out > on CD. Get hip to what the Spectropop Group is telling you about this trio . . . you won't fail to dig tracks like "Inside, Outside, Upside- Down", "Voodoo", "Roadrunner", "It's All Right With Me" and "The Time To Love Is Here" either. Any girl group aficionado who doesn't own a copy of this CD is missing out on some of the best the genre has to offer. Stuffed Animal -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23 Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 09:28:42 +0100 From: Ken Silverwood Subject: Back to Sounds Inc. Just coming back off the school run when on the radio came "Got to get you into my life" by The Beatles, and I suddenly remembered that Sounds Inc. provided the brass /horns for this track. Or did I dream it? Ken On The West Coast. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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